Top 21 Things to do in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Come visit Canberra! Expedia makes it easy to book Canberra tours and find the best attractions. We have a broad selection of things to do in Canberra for you to browse through and learn about all the most popular activities. It’s easy to find all the must-see Canberra sights by looking though our list of all the most popular Canberra attractions.

Whether you travel to Canberra in the spring, summer, fall or winter, Expedia makes it simple to find endless Canberra vacation ideas for any season. You can explore local things to do and popular tourism spots in Canberra, then book a flight, rental car and hotel all with ease.

Learn to master your camera with this small-group photography tour around Canberra's most photogenic locations. During this short workshop, an award-winning photographer introduces you to important techniques and helps you maximize your camera's potential.

Meet your professional guide in Commonwealth Park to begin this 3-hour tour. In a small group of 8 or fewer, get all the tips and tricks you need to capture great images and improve your photography skills as you walk around Canberra's famous city sites and hidden gems.

Build up your understanding of composition as you are taught clever and inventive photographic techniques that allow you to manipulate light and texture and maximize the manual settings on your device. Suitable for beginners with any type of camera, this is a fun and practical course delivered without any confusing technical jargon.

After receiving lots of 1-on-1 help, leave the tour feeling confident with your camera and take with you a device full of amazing photographs of beautiful Canberra sights.

Join this guided tour of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), the precinct where many of the country's superstars have trained to become elite athletes. Go through the strict routine of a top competitor, you might catch some of Australia’s... best athlete’s in training and even take on your own sporting challenge.

Enter the complex and truly get a sense for the life of someone who dedicates themselves to their sport. Your guide takes you behind the scenes, showing you the process of preparing for the big events. Truly understand their rigorous training regimen with inside information straight from the source. Ask your experienced guide about the psychological and philosophical aspects of an athletic competition.

Following this, complete your own sporting challenge. Turn up the fun with Sportex, an interactive experience where you instantly become an athlete rowing in a virtual race, scoring a goal in football or even playing wheelchair basketball. Finish your tour with a walk through an incredible exhibit of sporting memorabilia from top Australian athletes that includes uniforms, gold medals and much more.
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Explore the capital city of Australia, Canberra, on this full-day tour from Sydney. Listen to your expert guide as you admire important sights such as the Australian War Memorial, Mount Ainslie, Parliament House, and The Lodge.

Along your way to Canberra in a comfortable coach, stop in the quaint hamlet of Berrima and take a short stroll through the old village with a tranquil river. In Canberra, travel to the summit of Mount Ainslie in Canberra's Nature Park for an aerial view of the city and surrounding mountain ranges. Next, hear the combat story while you wander through the shrine at the Australian War Memorial.

Dependent on current exhibits, visit either the National Museum or the National Gallery; both are impressive architectural landmarks. Later, take a private tour of Parliament House and get a chance to view the upper or lower section when the House is in session.

See The Lodge, a Georgian-style mansion that is now the official residence of Australia's prime minister, before you spot the National Library, the largest reference library in the country. Drive by the magnificent, manmade Lake Burley Griffin and admire the High Court, the Captain Cook Memorial, and Commonwealth Park.

As you prepare to return to Sydney, get a glimpse of the National Carillon's beautiful tower and hear the chimes of the bells ring into the city.

Embark on a day trip to Australia’s capital city Canberra and immerse yourself in the proud history and culture of the Australian people. Depart from Sydney in the early morning, sit back, and relax on a luxury coach as you... journey west to the nation’s capital city.

With a short break at the historic township of Berrima in the Southern Highlands, refresh yourself with a morning tea (own expense) and hop back on board the coach.

Upon arrival in Canberra, visit the Australian War Memorial. Take time to learn and ponder about the sacrifices made by countless brave Australians through the museum’s poignant tributes.

Next, visit the Parliament House. Watch democracy in action while sitting in the galley of the chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives at the New Parliament House.

When you reach the top of Mount Ainslie, 360-degree views greet you, showcasing the city’s modern architecture, punctuated by leafy open spaces and the calm waters of Lake Burley Griffin.

Complete your day with a relaxing coach ride back to Sydney. Gaze out the window and soak in the vast expanse of the Australian bush with its ever-changing vistas.
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Explore Canberra's best sites on a splendid day tour of Australia's capital city. Experience the charm of this peaceful and historical town by visiting its architectural masterpieces, grand government buildings, and stunning exhibits. Then have some free time to explore... its world-renowned galleries.

Hop aboard a comfortable modern coach from Sydney and ride to the nation's capital. On your way, travel through an incredible wool-growing region and keep on the lookout for mobs of wild kangaroos among the mountainous surroundings. Marvel at the city's layout, which was entirely planned and purpose-built. Receive informative commentary from your guide on Canberra's history.

First, tour the inner halls of the National Parliament House, marveling at its magnificent architecture. Then visit the Australian War Memorial, hearing emotional stories of Gallipoli and the Anzacs. The last attraction stop is up to you: See stunning masterpieces at the National Gallery, soak up years of history at the National Museum, or interact with Questacon's exhibits.

Finish by taking in impressive 360-degree views over the capital city and surrounding mountain ranges from Mount Ainslie before being dropped back in Sydney at a fun venue to toast the day's sightseeing with a drink.
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Encounter the friendliest of the big cats during this once-in-a-lifetime experience in Australia's capital city. Be sure to bring your camera as you visit the National Zoo and Aquarium in Canberra, home to a pack of cheetahs that you can... pat and play with inside their enclosure.

Meet with the zookeeper, a wildlife expert who specializes in taking care of big cats. The zookeeper is happy to answer any of your questions, so take the opportunity to learn more about the species. Hear about the biology of the cats and the efforts to conserve the vulnerable creature.

Next, it's time to experience the beauty of these cheetahs yourself as you step into the animals' den. See them interact with each other before you get the opportunity to have hands-on contact with one of the incredible cats. Pat the magnificent animal, with the experienced zookeeper accompanying you the whole time.

Take your camera with you so the keeper can take close up photos of your experience before saying hello to the multitude of other strange and wonderful species living at the zoo and aquarium.
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Take the entire family to the National Dinosaur Museum for an exhilarating and informative experience in Canberra, Australia's capital city. Enjoy admission into the museum and journey back through time with engaging and educational exhibits.

Enter the museum and travel back to the prehistoric era. Learn about how dinosaurs evolved, developed, succeeded, and ultimately perished through stunning interactive displays. Touch a real life dinosaur bone, inspect more than 50 lifelike dinosaur models, and watch 12 animatronic dinosaurs moving, roaring, and blinking.

Discover the living descendants of these prehistoric creatures, including iconic animals from Australia and around the world, and snap some memorable photos in the huge dinosaur garden. Run your hands over a real 331-pound (150 kg) meteorite or crack open a 100-million-year-old quartz geode as you and your children experience some hands-on history.

The National Dinosaur Museum brings the giants back to life; it's a must-see for all those interested in learning history in a unique, lively, and enjoyable way.

The National Museum of Australia is where Australia's stories come alive. It is the perfect introduction and welcome to Australia and its people.

Take a Museum Highlights Tour at the National Museum of Australia and discover the treasured history of Australia’s country and its people. Journey through the permanent galleries and see important objects, stories, and collections.

Arrive at the National Museum and be awe-struck by the architectural brilliance of the building. Meet your friendly and experienced tour guide who explains your tour’s personalised itinerary. Walk through the Hall marvelling at the large, colourful ceilings. See all the best bits of the Museum with this highlights tour as you receive an excellent introduction to each of the permanent galleries - Old New Land, Eternity, Landmarks, First Australians, Journeys, and the Garden of Australian Dreams.

See many of Australia's popular historical objects, such as Phar Lap's heart and ocher used by Aboriginal artists over 50,000 years ago. Listen to knowledgeable Visitor Service Hosts as they share an engaging and experiential account of Australia’s past. Hear surprising and inspirational stories about a country which prides itself on a culture of storytelling.

Discover the treasured past of the first people to inhabit Australia at the National Museum of Australia. Gain rare insights into the 50,000-year history of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, learning especially about their spirituality and connection to... the country.

Enter the house of Australian stories in Canberra for a fantastic look at the great and varied background of the nation. Arrive at the National Museum and be awestruck by the architectural brilliance of the building. Then journey through the unique gallery space, which holds important objects, collections, and stories.

Meet your friendly and experienced tour guide, who explains your tour's personalized itinerary. Walk through the halls and marvel at the large, colorful ceilings. See historical objects that are crucial to understanding the culture of the Aboriginal people, including ochre used by Aboriginal artists more than 50,000 years ago. As you go, read beautiful tales told by the first Australians, a culture that prides itself on storytelling.

After this experiential and engaging guided tour of Australia's amazing past, leave with a greater understanding of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
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The story of humanity – how we have shaped the world, and how the world has shaped us – is told in this major international exhibition from the British Museum. On display from 9 September 2016 until 29 January 2017... at the National Museum of Australia, this exhibition uses 100 objects from the British Museum’s encyclopaedic collection to explore human history from two million years ago to the present day.

Inspired by the highly-acclaimed 2010 radio series and book, which was produced in partnership with the BBC and Penguin Books, the carefully selected objects communicate the ideas and concerns of the people who made and used them, taking every visitor on a unique and compelling journey through time and across the globe.

A History of the World in 100 Objects invites visitors to travel along a timeline of human history and object creation revealing a series of compelling, and often very personal, human stories.

Visitors will encounter this rich story through a series of thematic sections, examining issues as diverse as faith, power and global exploration. The objects in the exhibition represent a vast range of materials – from stone to gold and clay to plastic. They vary in size, from large Egyptian sculpture to a small exquisite gold llama from Peru.

A special highlight within the exhibition is the Meroë Head, one of the most important surviving portraits of Rome’s first emperor, Augustus. Originally part of a statue of Augustus that is thought to have been deliberately beheaded in antiquity, the bronze caused an international sensation when it was excavated in Sudan in 1910. The Head features in a section exploring power and philosophy between 700 BCE-100 CE, and speaks directly of the leader’s need to control his public image across a vast empire.

The variety of material included in the exhibition creates a rich, absorbing and visually impressive celebration of manmade objects.

Exploring the past through objects allows us to understand our present, and celebrate our shared experience and common humanity.
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Discover a world of family fun on this interactive tour of the National Zoo and Aquarium that encompasses the best bits of the zoo in a safe and relaxed atmosphere. You and your kids get the chance to meet, greet,... and play with some of your favorite animals, including giraffes and lions.

Meet with the zookeeper, a wildlife expert specializing in the biology and conservation of creatures big and small, and learn more about the species living at the zoo. Your zookeeper is happy to answer any of you or your children's questions as you set out on a friendly guided adventure full of rare encounters with a wide variety of wildlife.

Walk through the grounds and come face-to-face with a friendly giraffe, feeling their tickling tongue as you hand-feed them. Then experience the adrenaline rush of looking a white lion in the eye before enjoying the cheeky antics of the monkeys. Overcome your fears by holding a python and feeling its intricate skin slithering over you.

This experience is ideal for the entire family, providing thrills for the young and old alike. Take as many photographs as you want with the animals before exploring the rest of the weird and wonderful species of the National Zoo and Aquarium on your own.
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Learn to master your camera with this evening photography tour around Canberra's city sights. During this practical photography workshop, an award-winning photographer helps you unlock your device's full potential and teaches you techniques for capturing spectacular night images.

Meet up with your guide for the evening, a professional commercial photographer. In a small group of 6 or fewer, discuss your goals for the workshop. When the sun goes down and the city lights up in front of your eyes, set up your camera for an illuminating experience. Learn creative tips and tricks for generating high quality images, understanding more about your camera's manual settings.

As the light changes, you move locations and learn how to expose for mood, compose inventive night portraits, artfully capture moving lights, and take a variety of photos in low-light situations. As your composition skills advance, begin to master creative styles like light-blur trails.

At the conclusion of your tour, leave with a card full of amazing nighttime photos of Canberra, a greater comprehension of composition, texture, and light, and a better understanding of your camera.

Enjoy convenient private transportation between Canberra International Airport and your hotel in the comfort of a luxury car. For transfers to and from Canberra International Airport, the zones to select from include:

Enjoy convenient private transportation between Canberra International Airport and your hotel in the comfort of a minivan. For transfers to and from Canberra International Airport, the zones to select from include:

Enjoy convenient private transportation between Canberra International Airport and your hotel in the comfort of a standard car. For transfers to and from Canberra International Airport, the zones to select from include:

Enjoy convenience and flexibility with entry into Canberra's top 3 attractions with the one pass. Discover all that Australia's capital has to offer with this money-saving 3-in-Fun Attractions Pass that includes entry to the Australian Institute of Sport, Cockington Green,... and the museum Questacon.

The Australian Institute of Sport:Head to Australia's premier sports precinct for a unique look into the life of a high performance athlete. Walk through the halls of Australia's sporting powerhouse, located right in the heart of Canberra. Understand why sport is Australia's passion as you see where athletes perform rigorous routines to become the country's best.

Cockington Green Gardens:Escape into a miniature world at one of the world's most charming tourist attractions. Bring the family along as you stroll through the glorious grounds of Cockington Green, which feature fascinating and meticulously crafted miniature buildings. Get your camera out and take incredible photographs of tiny masterpieces based on architecture from around the world. Finish your experience off with a ride around the beautifully landscaped gardens on a miniature steam train.

Questacon:Experience science in weird and wonderful ways at Questacon, Canberra's National Science and Technology Center. Learn about everything from the human body to robotics at Questacon's 8 galleries containing intriguing experiments, explosive demonstrations, and interesting displays. Take the plunge down an exhilarating free-fall slide, see kids entertained by a daily science show, and even challenge a robot to a ping-pong game.
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Head up high into the sky in a majestic hot air balloon with this sunrise flight over the beautiful mountainous region of Canberra. A new day breaks over the picturesque capital of Australia, setting the city's top attractions aglow.

Wake up nice and early to meet your fully qualified and certified pilot. Prepare for an unforgettable ballooning experience with a quick safety briefing before climbing into the impressive basket of the balloon. This is your unique mode of transportation for the next hour; the fire is lit and you ascend over the town.

Rise above the nation's capital to see a complete panorama of Canberra's premier highlights, including the vast Lake Burley Griffin and the monumental architecture of the Parliament House. The elegant structures of the entirely planned city is laid out below you, the morning sun lighting up its incredible landscape. Relax in the balloon as it wafts on the morning air currents.

After your flight, enjoy a traditional champagne celebration at the Hyatt Canberra, where you can reflect upon your tranquil flight and your new perspective of the peaceful city.

Join this photographic adventure around the grand sights of Canberra, the capital of Australia. Learn to master the full manual settings of your camera, snap shots of the unique architecture, and finish the course at sunset by the vast Lake... Burley Griffin.

Meet your professionally trained guide and small group of 8 or less in Commonwealth Park for this full-day tour. Discuss your skills and goals and hear the day's agenda before removing your lens cap and letting the creativity flow. Explore the compositional techniques and camera settings required to create awe-inspiring travel photography.

Set off on the walking tour of Canberra's most photogenic sights, asking as many questions as you like and snapping away to your heart's content. Visit the monumental Parliament House, a beautiful art gallery, and the spectacular National Library of Australia—all ideal settings for experimenting with your camera. Enjoy the city sights while receiving feedback along the way to improve your travel photography skills.

As the sun begins to set, finish your fun and exciting day around Canberra by capturing a final few images of the expansive lake from Commonwealth Park. Leave with an advanced understanding of composition, as well as some photographs of the nation's capital sure to amaze your friends and family.
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Make the most of your visit to the National Museum of Australia with a personalised, guided tour through its most important sites. Take advantage of expert knowledge of the museum's exhibitions, taking advantage of every minute to maximise your experience....

Meet with our trained Visitor Services Host, and set off inside the National Museum Australia. Your tour is totally personalised, letting you see whatever you want inside the museum. Listen as your guide provides a wide range of background information, which you can choose to utilise for whatever interest you wish to pursue.

Enjoy your experience in the museum with a choice of guided tour, in addition to a meal and glass of wine served at a stunning waterfront café, and a 10 percent discount at the Museum Shop. Enjoy a day of informative highlights from a knowledgeable guide.
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Get up close and personal with a white lion at the National Zoo and Aquarium in Canberra. During this unique encounter you can watch them interact with one another, feed them (from outside the enclosure) and feel the power of... their huge roar.

The National Zoo and Aquarium in Australia's capital is home to 6 magnificent white lions: Jake, Mishka, and the Brat Pack. Meet with the zookeeper, who specializes in taking care of big cats, to learn more about this endangered species, including their biology and efforts to conserve them.

Experience the power and majesty of these huge creatures as they jostle for meat and clamp down on it with their mighty jaws. Gain firsthand understanding of why the lion is the king of the jungle, and if you're lucky, hear their rumbling roar reverberate through your body.

This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity provides you with a greater knowledge of big cats and unforgettable memories of the beauty and strength of the white lion.
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An awesome animal adventure awaits you on the award-winning ZooVenture Tour at the National Zoo and Aquarium in the heart of Canberra. In one of the most hands-on zoo experiences available in the world, experience the thrill of a lifetime... when you feed lions, tigers, bears, giraffes, and many more.

Meet with your zookeeper, an animal expert specializing in the day-to-day care and conservation of creatures big and small, and follow them on an exhilarating behind-the-scenes tour that brings you up close with a diverse array of fascinating wildlife.

Walk through the grounds taking in Australia's largest collection of big cats. Then it's your turn to experience their mighty power as a 243-pound (110 kg) Sumatran tiger leaps up on the fence to take a piece of meat from your hand and a white lion roars just inches from your face, sending reverberations through your body.

Afterward, watch playful otters display their amazing underwater skills in a feeding frenzy before a giant brown bear licks honey from your hands. Finally, touch the fascinating skin of a python as it slithers over you. If you're an animal lover, the renowned ZooVenture tour is an unparalleled way to gain understanding of these amazing creatures and capture unbelievable photographs along the way.
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